In my church we are encouraged to spend the day - after worship, of course - in restful activities that help us to focus on God (which look different from person to person - I would find it restful to prune my roses, but someone else wouldn't), with family and in discussion of Scripture. The idea is to let your whole person - body, mind and spirit - relax and rediscover the joy of knowing the Lord.

Yes, that is a tradition in my Catholic family...my dad used to take my mother and us out for Sunday drives around the Sound listening to classical music. Oh yes, we'd go out on stormy, rainy afternoons after Mass...

I loved this time of the year, Advent, because that meant the old Shirley Temple movies in the afternoon were coming on and Dad would buy us some pop and chips...which we seldom had.

He was very devout and created a real spiritual mood I will never forget...a real day of rest and absorbing God's presence around us!

The earliest Christians -- the Nazarene Jews, worshipped Christ on Saturday, and they had originally remained with the Orthodox Jews in the same synagogues. However, a severance was decreed expelling all Nazarenes from the synagogues. The Nazarenes then formed their own synagogues and out of protest began to worship Christ on Sunday in honor of the Resurrection as well as end the 40 day fast.

The earliest Gentiles had their gathering places meeting on Saturday night and ending at dawn. They gradually moved the liturgy to Sunday mornings. The Church evolved to hold Sunday as Resurrection Sunday...the greatest feast of the Church --- above Christmas and Easter, because on this ongoing feast day of Sunday, we honor Christ as the Son of God Who lived, died and resurrected bring us new life through the Eucharist.

I usually attend the Saturday Mass vigils for our weekly obligation, and keep the next 24 hours in reserve for contemplation of the Lord and my own rest.

[quote="Publisher, post:10, topic:265391"]
Christ IS our Sabbath Rest.....we are creatures of the New First Day of the New Creation...all days are holy 24/7/365.....there is no one holy day above another.

[/quote]

Genesis 2
1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Exodus 20
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

[quote="Richard_Kastner, post:12, topic:265391"]
Genesis 2
1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Exodus 20
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

[/quote]

Heb. 4:3-11 “For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest,” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. **There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His**. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”

Our Sabbath Rest is found in Jesus.....He is the One who gives us "true rest" from our labors...."Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest." We are His New Creation....we live in the eschatological First Day of the New Creation....

[quote="Publisher, post:13, topic:265391"]
Heb. 4:3-11 “For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest,” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. **There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His**. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”

Our Sabbath Rest is found in Jesus.....He is the One who gives us "true rest" from our labors...."Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest." We are His New Creation....we live in the eschatological First Day of the New Creation....

[/quote]

Seems that we have a discrepency in our respective translations. This from KJV

Hebrews4
*4For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. *

5And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

**8For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. **

10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Verse 4 is talking about Gen.2
1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Verse 8 is saying that "IF Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day." In other words JESUS DID NOT CHANGE THE SABBATH DAY.

Verse 9 verifies this 9"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." That day is still the seventh day Sabbath of the Ten Commandments. SATURDAY!

Christ resurrected on the eighth day...Resurrection Sunday, where the power over death and sin was defeated.

Christ brings a new dimension to Sacred Scripture.

Sacred Scriptures is indeed Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word.

The Old Testament has its prophets, patriarchs, the history of the Jewish people whose mission in life was to bring to us the Decalogue and most importantly the Messiah.

In the New Testament the old way of God speaking to us is no longer used....prophets visions, symbols, signs...because all is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Christianity moved quite rapidly in time to move worship to atleast early Sunday in honor of our Lord and the giving of life for us. To depend on Saturday from the Old Testament perspective is denying the reality of the Word as all we need.

We keep our eyes on Christ alone. We keep the Lord's day holy -- the Lord being Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In consideration to Publisher's comment, I agree in part with him, when one has deep devotion to the Lord....every day is the Lord's...'Rejoice...today is the day the Lord has made!'

[quote="Richard_Kastner, post:14, topic:265391"]
Seems that we have a discrepency in our respective translations. This from KJV

Hebrews4
*4For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. *

5And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

**8For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. **

10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Verse 4 is talking about Gen.2
1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Verse 8 is saying that "IF Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day." In other words JESUS DID NOT CHANGE THE SABBATH DAY.

Verse 9 verifies this 9"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." That day is still the seventh day Sabbath of the Ten Commandments. SATURDAY!

[/quote]

Agreed...Saturday is still the sabbath....but we do not "live" on the "last day"....we live in the First Day of the New Creation, where the ritual observances and "sabbaths" which pointed to Christ has been fulfilled in Him.....Saturday is still the "sabbath"....but I live in the Kingdom of God on this First Day of Resurrection.

[quote="Publisher, post:16, topic:265391"]
Agreed...Saturday is still the sabbath....but we do not "live" on the "last day"....we live in the First Day of the New Creation, where the ritual observances and "sabbaths" which pointed to Christ has been fulfilled in Him.....Saturday is still the "sabbath"....but I live in the Kingdom of God on this First Day of Resurrection.

[/quote]

Ex20
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Hi Publisher
I have reproduced here the fouth commandment. Could you show me where in this commandment there is anythig about "ritual observances" that point to Christ? It does talk about the creator God, which is Jesus, but nothing about His incarnation. How about Ex.31
13Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

14Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

15Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

16Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

17It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

18And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

The Lord says that this is a PERPETUAL covenant and that it is a sign between Him and the children of Israel. This is the sign talked about in Isaiah 66

18For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
19And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

A sign to the Gentiles that God's people is the people that keep His commandments and not the commandments of men.

It goes on in Isaiah 66

22For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
24And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

The Sabbath will be kept in the new heaven and the new earth and they will go out to view the carcasses of them that do not. Which one do you want to be a viewer or the viewed?

[quote="Richard_Kastner, post:18, topic:265391"]
Ex20
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Hi Publisher
I have reproduced here the fouth commandment. Could you show me where in this commandment there is anythig about "ritual observances" that point to Christ? It does talk about the creator God, which is Jesus, but nothing about His incarnation. How about Ex.31
13Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

14Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

15Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

16Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

17It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

18And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

The Lord says that this is a PERPETUAL covenant and that it is a sign between Him and the children of Israel. This is the sign talked about in Isaiah 66

18For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
19And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

A sign to the Gentiles that God's people is the people that keep His commandments and not the commandments of men.

It goes on in Isaiah 66

22For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
24And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

The Sabbath will be kept in the new heaven and the new earth and they will go out to view the carcasses of them that do not. Which one do you want to be a viewer or the viewed?

[/quote]

Friend Richard...I am in Good Hands, I do not esteeme one day above another....ALL days are holy.....we have entered into our Sabbath Rest....."rest from your labors".....I also "rest in the Lord" and don't fear judgement because I hold each day equal in esteeme....I have more grevious sins on my conscience than not holding Saturday as a day of rest.....but thankfully I abide in Christ...."He is my Rock and Salvation...of whom shall I fear.

A sign to the Gentiles that God's people is the people that keep His commandments and not the commandments of men.

It goes on in Isaiah 66

22For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
24And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

The Sabbath will be kept in the new heaven and the new earth and they will go out to view the carcasses of them that do not. Which one do you want to be a viewer or the viewed?

[/quote]

You know Richard, to apply this literally as you have here puts us spending eternity staring at the rotting carcases. Obviously, you've missed a few things in your interpretation. You are putting one day of the week, Saturday, above all others as the one acceptable day of worship and rest. Saturday is arbitary, the commandment sets forth the principle of resting on the "seventh" day. Thats not a name. Thats an ordinal number. Which day is the seventh depends on how you count them. The idea of going out of ones house to worship on this seventh day... that is not even in the commandment, it says to stay home and REST.

Christians rest in Jesus, not in a day. Sunday isn't even considered a sabbath, its a feast day to gather and worship and give thanks, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.
It fulfills the spirit of the commandment, to set aside one day in seven, but it doesn't replace the old shadow that Christians are not bound to keep, there is no need. Christians can certainly rest and worship on Saturday if they want to, but there is no reason to condemn those who do not.